Wirt County Journal July 10, 2002 Obituaries Delbert Lawrence Ledsome Delbert Lawrence Ledsome, 61, of Elizabeth, passed away June 20, 2002, at Sunbridge of Parkersburg, after a long battle with cancer. He was born Dec. 10, 1940, in Fairmont, a son of the late Clifford and Verdie Bunner Ledsome. He was a self taught welder and worked for I.L. Morris, Glenville and Haught Inc. in Smithville. He was a believer and attended God's House of Worship in Elizabeth. He is survived by two daughters, Debra McBride of Wood County and Doris Ledsome of Ohio; two sons, Delbert "Jack" Ledsome, Jr. of Wood County and Travis Ledsome and his mother, Cindy Baker of Marion County; four brothers, Gilbert of Jackson County, James, Milford and Clarence of Marion County; five sisters, Ruth Ann Kellar of Calhoun County, Dorothy, Freda, Naomi and Loretta all of Marion County; grandchildren, Chasity Winnell of Wirt County, Wendy, Ashley and Nathan Ledsome, all of Ohio, Brooklyn Ledsome of Wood County; step grandchildren Kayla Kalbaugh, Austin and Shelby Ash of Wood County; his care giver and former wife, Faye Ledsome; 14 nephews and 14 nieces; and several cousins in Wirt and Marion counties. He was preceded in death by his wile Emily Pursley Ledsome and his stepmother, Juanita Ledsome. Services were held Saturday, June 22, in Fairmont at Carpenter and Ford Funeral Home with the Rev. Raymond Gumm officiating. Burial in Woodlawn Cemetery. Ralph Earl Smith Wirt County's first state conservation officer, Ralph Earl Smith, 82, of Mineral Wells, passed away Sunday morning, July 7, 2002, at his residence. Mr. Smith was born Feb. 16, 1920, at Roanoke, Lewis County, W. Va., a son of the late John Jackson and Mary Luverne Weaver Smith. He was the first state conservation officer in Wirt County having retired in 1980 as sergeant from the West Virginia Department of Natural Resources with more than 32 years of service with more than 23 years of service in Wirt and Wood counties. He was a graduate of the West Virginia State Police Academy and served as a U.S. Deputy Game Warden with the U.S. Department of the Interior. He was a U.S. Army Veteran of World War II having served with the 135th ordinance maintenance battalion of the 13th armory division and was past commander of American Legion Post 55 of Elizabeth. He was past master of Wirt Lodge 82 AF&AM and a 38 year member of the Scottish Rite of Parkersburg. He was a member of the Wirt Chapter 113, Order of the Eastern Star and United Methodist by faith. He will be missed by his wife of 57 years, Mary Louise Ervin Smith, a son, Jonathan Smith of Richmond, Va.; two daughters, Mary Elizabeth Tanner and her husband, Richard of Parkersburg and Anna Louise Odle and her husband, Mark of Reedy; seven grandchildren and five great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by four brothers, Arnold Smith, Carl Smith, Richard Smith and Edward Smith; and three sisters, Loy Butcher, Opal Rodabach and Virginia McQuain. Services were held Tuesday, July 9, at 7:30 p.m. at Busch Funeral Home with the Rev. Robert Stanley officiating in conjunction with Eastern Star Memorial services conducted by officers and members of Wirt Chapter 113, OES. Graveside services were held Wednesday, July 10, at 11 a.m. at the Weston Masonic Cemetery at Weston with Masonic graveside rites and military honors rendered. Dewey Sullivan Dewey Ray Sullivan, 61, of Sandyville, passed away June 29, 2002, at Bristol (Tenn.) Regional Medical Center following a brief illness. He was born April 16, 1941, in Vienna, a son of Pauline Blair Sullivan of Windy, Wirt County, and the late Perry Sullivan. He was a member of Union Chapel United Methodist Church. He was a longtime employee of Pursley's Pulling and Well Service, Patterson Cleaning and Parkersburg Livestock Market. In addition to his mother, he will be missed by his wife of 29 years, Marie Cline Sullivan; two daughters, Laura M. Sullivan of Mount Solon, Va., and Chrystal M. Sullivan of Sandyville; one stepson, Danny R. Cline of Lovington, Va.; one grandson, Blake A. Shupp; nine step grandchildren, Jeff Cline, Andrew Cline, Brandon Moats, David Wise, Meghan Halfhill, Samantha Pence, Robbie Pence, John Shupp Jr. and Bryan Shupp; one step-great grandson, Michael Maiani; two brothers, Curtis Sullivan of Sandyville and Paul Sullivan of Mebane, N.C. Services were held Wednesday, July 3, at 2 p.m. at the Union Chapel United Methodist Church, Windy Ridge, Wirt County, with the Rev. Bernard McVey officiating. Burial will follow in the Union Chapel United Methodist Church Cemetery.